Bishop of Lewes: Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans formed to counter 'heartache'

[Telegraph] 7 July 2009--The Bishop of Lewes, the Rt Rev Wallace Benn, denied that the movement was splitting away from the Anglican Communion over contentious issues such as women bishops and homosexual clergy.

He said the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans, an alliance of Anglo-Catholics and conservative evangelicals, simply wanted to restore the authority of the Bible and hold to its traditional teachings.

Speaking at the group's launch event in London, attended by an estimated 1,600 people from 300 parishes across the UK and Ireland, Bishop Benn said: "Parts of the Church of England don't believe it, they are moving away from the historic Biblical Christianity.

"It's very important to understand that when novelty is introduced into the church, as the New Testament says, there are divisions.

"We're trying to move back to the core of our Christian faith. Sadly some in the British isles are moving away and where bishops do that, there is particular unhappiness in some dioceses and it causes real problems and real heartaches for people and for churches.

"We want to stand with people and support them and say you don't have to go away, we will support you and stand with you."